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Parents, students and teachers urge board to preserve and invest in Cumberland Academy virtual schools
Summary
Multiple speakers during the public forum urged the board to continue and invest in the district's Cumberland Academy online programs, citing student success, mental-health benefits, growth metrics and staff expertise.
Several parents, students and district educators told the Cumberland County Board of Education on May 13 that Cumberland Academy Virtual School provides vital educational options and asked the board to maintain and invest in the program.
Speakers during the public forum described the virtual program as more than an emergency remote option during COVID, arguing it is a purpose-built choice school that serves students with medical needs, safety concerns, or who otherwise thrive in a virtual environment. Heather Kaiser, who identified herself as "a veteran teacher of 27" in the district with a doctorate in education, said the board should "invest in the ongoing needs of this program," including technology support, specialized staffing and professional development.
Why it matters: speakers said the virtual option supports academic growth and student wellbeing, and warned that removing the option could harm students and lead to loss of experienced virtual teachers. Student speakers and parents gave personal testimony about academic gains and improved mental health.
Details and data cited: Cumberland Academy teachers and a parent cited specific growth metrics. Hazelin Williams, a sixth-grade English language arts teacher at Cumberland Academy Virtual School 6–12, told the board, "Overall, last year, 57.4 of my students were proficient compared to the district average of 48.2 and the state average of 49.4." Williams also supplied year-over-year growth figures for her classroom: 388 points of growth for one cohort and 300 points of growth for another, and said benchmark results placed her virtual students above most county middle schools.
Students and parents: Cameron Bebo, identified as a Cumberland Academy graduate and a sophomore at Fayetteville State University, described Cumberland Academy as "a lifeline" that gave him confidence and opportunities leading to awards and extracurricular success. Parent Paul White described his son’s medical vulnerability and said the virtual school provided ‘‘peace of mind’’ and consistent support. A first-grade student, Josiah White, told the board he felt supported academically and socially in the virtual environment.
Board response and outcome: comments were heard during the public forum and taken under advisement; the board did not act on the requests at the meeting. Several speakers asked for sustained funding and recognition of virtual educators’ expertise in program decisions.
